Power Play
by cynosure23
Summary: He was the most powerful man in the United States. And then there was me.
1. Chapter 1

**January 20, 2021**

"You look perfect," she said, examining my outfit one last time.

I had picked a Chanel coat dress because it was a classic, and because they complimented the gold Cartier drop earrings that Edward had bought me specifically for the occasion. His sister, Alice, was one of my best friends, and now she fancied herself my unofficial stylist. I couldn't imagine her letting me go out without her approval, especially today.

"Thanks, Alice. I love your dress," I replied, thinking her red and blue dress was perfectly patriotic. "Wow. I can't believe this is happening."

"I know." She shook her head. "I guess it will finally start feeling real after today. It has certainly been a wild ride."

And it really had. But we'll get into that later.

… …

The crowd was incredible. I stood in my assigned place, heart racing and ears pounding. I thought about all the work and effort, the heartache and strife, which had all brought us to this moment. It had been a true test, but it proved to me that this was what I wanted- he was what I wanted, no matter where we were in life. This wasn't going to be easy for either of us.

There would be times when all we would have was each other. And I was too realistic to not realize that there would also be times that we would be against each other, too.

… …

"I solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States, and will do my best of my Ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

I watched as his mother stood there, bible in her hands, smiling up at him. He leaned over and hugged her tight, then turned and waved to the crowd. I was clapping just as loud as everyone else, but he somehow found me in the crowd and smiled, then winked. I felt my cheeks redden even further in the brisk January air.

_My boyfriend just became the President of the United States._

… …

**Thanks for reading! Chapter two will be up soon, and it will be full length. I plan on updating this and Unattainable in a rotation, so chapter 3 of that will be up first. I hope you enjoyed and please review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for continuing to read! Let me know what you think!**

… …

Our relationship was a long one. We had met when I was in college, when my brother Ben was interning for Edward's re-election committee for Congress. My parents had disapproved at first, given that Edward was ten years older than me and in the public eye, but they quickly warmed up to his charm and the way he obviously loved me.

"_Edward is certainly…dashing," my mom said, nudging me gently. Last night, Edward had showed up with a huge bouget of roses and then had whisked me off for a night in Martha's Vineyard, on his family's estate there. He knew that my parents were staying with me, and that there was no space for that. He thought of things like that. It had been the most magical night of my life, and I had realized that I really loved him._

"_He is," I blushed. "I don't know…it all seems too good to be true, Mom."_

_She tsked at me, pushing my hair back off of my forehead. "Don't put him on a pedestal, Bella. He comes with downsides, too."_

"_I know. I know that."_

_But it was hard to remember. He put stars in my eyes and made me feel weak in the knees. He was older, so smart, and powerful politically. He was dominating sometimes, and a little bossy. The press hounded him, and he was ten years older than me with a huge amount of ambition. Sometimes the whirlwind was more like a tornado. It could be destructive._

_It didn't matter, not anymore. I was so in love that I would take him with all the pros and cons._

What had started as hushed conversations and secret sleepovers at my tiny studio near NYU had quickly turned into me accompanying Edward to official events and being photographed by the press. Of course there was scrutiny around our relationship, and none of the tabloids, or Edward's team, believed that it would last.

But here we were, almost exactly ten years later.

… …

Edward's long legs carried him quickly across the room towards me. "Darling."

I smiled up at him, unable to contain my excitement. "It really happened." He reached me and pulled me into a kiss, never caring that his family and staff were in the room. The man hardly had a private moment. "Mr. President."

"Stop that."

"I'm just teasing," I said, running my hands over his suit lapels. "How does it feel?"

He let out a deep breath and looked around us. "Completely surreal."

"I'm so proud of you."

"So are we, dear," Esme chimed in, positively glowing. "I never had a doubt."

Edward chuckled. "Thanks, mom. Not even during the smear campaign?"

I winced, remembering a few months ago when the GOP had dug into Edward's military past _and _into our relationship and turned it into a media storm to be reckoned with. It had been incredibly painful for Edward, who had always known that his actual military record and what he had done didn't match official records. He had been called an instigator and a liar, and far worse.

Then they had brought our relationship into it, going so far as accusing Edward of being a part of Epstein's ring…totally ignoring the fact that I had been 21, not 17, when we had met. Anything they could do to twist it into something ridiculous, they did. It had been a painful time for both of us.

I was surprised he could laugh about it now, but also proud of him for it.

But Edward had preserved, and now he was the President of the United States. I knew it would sting for him to have to work so closely with those who had slandered him, but Edward had run with promises of strong bi-partisanship and working across the aisle. He believed our country was so fractured that it was the only way to become strong again. I agreed with him, and so did Americans. Now to actually accomplish it.

… …

Our reunion was brief- Alice pulled me away so that we could get ready for the inaugural ball. My hair stylist and makeup artist were already set up and waiting for us, and wasted no time getting started.

Everyone had said that I would need a stylist, so I reluctantly hired one despite my own ability to pick out my own clothes. Luckily, Lucia appreciated my eye for style and let me be as involved as I wanted in the process, especially for something as big as what I would wear to the ball. I had insisted on something modern, demure but sexy. Edward and his team wanted to remind the US that he was the youngest President to be elected in history, and that modernity would be a centerpiece of his time as President. He was only 41, which to my 31 year old self sometime sounded so old. But in this political world, he was practically a baby.

I had also wanted blue- not only the color of the Democratic Party but Edward's favorite color on me. Lucia had even supplied me with matching La Perla lingerie to go underneath the dress.

It was a periwinkle kind of blue, with a high scoop neck and sleeves that reached my wrists, and the gown pooled out behind me. The sequin covered fabric clung to my body in all the right places, had an opening in the back, and looked phenomenal on me.

Alice and I got ready side by side, laughing and talking like we always had. I was lucky that our families had so lovingly welcomed the ones we loved into their lives. We were like one big happy family. I knew that they were waiting impatiently for me and Edward to get engaged, especially now. But we had agreed that things were perfect the way they were right now.

Of course, that had been a few years ago now.

… …

**Thanks again! It reiterate in case you missed it- Bella is 31 and Edward is 41. **

**There hasn't been a single president since Buchanan, so there isn't really something I can go off of for protocol and such regarding a First Girlfriend. So I'm winging it. Just please keep that in mind!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Brief AN at the bottom if you want a small life update. Otherwise, just enjoy!**

**… …**

The next few days flew by thanks to how quickly things were changing. It was to supposed to have been a relatively easy transition, given the situation...or so I had naively thought. After all, we had been preparing for this day since November- earlier, even, although it might have seemed foolish at the time.

After all, Jacob Black, Edward's opponent in the primary election turned Vice President, had been insufferable once appointed to the head of the official committee that was set up to ensure that Edward's transition into the presidency went as smoothly as possible. It felt like I had been cornered at every turn during each time we were in the same vicinity- being forced to listen to him describe, again, how much planning he was doing and how it would be the easiest transition since Washington to Adams.

Well, Jacob had been wrong. Because here I stood, alone, in the home I had shared with Edward until the week before the election. Of course, I wasn't really alone and I probably wouldn't be alone again for a very long time. My security detail was skilled at being neither seen nor heard, but they were still there.

Officially, I still lived here. The powers that be had decided that without a marriage or even an engagement, it would be inappropriate for me to reside at the white house, even though I had lived with Edward for more than five years. But this would be the first night we spent with him there and me here, and it was strange, to say the least. Edward hadn't liked this decision- in fact, he had fought against it from the start.

"You belong by my side," he had told me. "Jacob is letting the power go to his head. I'll set him straight; you'll see."

In the end, it had been me to surrender.

"He's right, Edward. It would be inappropriate."

"So we're just going to live apart?"

_"Or you could propose to me," _I had thought to myself. But Edward acted like that wasn't even on his mind, and, for what felt like the millionth time, I dropped it. It wasn't like we never talked about getting engaged. We had, and the first time Edward had brought it up, it was with an actual proposal.

It had been on our first anniversary, and it had completely blindsided me. I had said no, and it was almost the end of us. At the time, I wasn't thinking about marriage. I had been 22 years old and nowhere near ready to become someone's wife, let alone the wife of one of the most powerful senators in the United States. Edward's father had held the seat for nearly thirty years before he stepped down and was replaced by his son. Much of his wisdom, influence, and political power had been handed over to Edward, and even when he had been elected at barely the legal minimum age to be a US senator, he was intimidating and wielded a lot of power and responsibility. I had loved him even then, but I knew I wasn't ready for what being his wife would entail.

So he had accepted my denial and never asked again.

I hadn't regretted it at the time, because I knew it was the right decision, but now, at thirty one, I wished it would happen already. Sure, it would still be difficult. A lot would be expected of me, even more than already was, and it wouldn't just be a title change. It wouldn't be just a piece of paper. But I knew I had grown up to be a woman worthy of someone like Edward. I took great pride in my accomplishments- my graduation at the top of my class in law school, my junior partnership in the law firm I had started at as a lowly intern; the place I held within our social circle. I was confident in myself in a way I could have never even dreamed of at twenty two years old. But we had talked about it more recently than that...before the whirlwind that was Edward's presidential campaign.

I had agreed with Edward when he said he was happy with the way things were. Because I was. I loved him, and I knew that even though I wasn't yet his wife, I was still his partner. I had thought that was enough. Now, I found myself wanting more and more with every passing day.

But I would wait for him, because I'd rather have him like this than not at all.

... ...

I had spent plenty of nights alone, even after I'd moved in with Edward after my graduation from law school.

For some reason, tonight felt monumentally different.

I tossed and turned for hours; restless. Finally, I sat up in bed and picked up my phone.

Edward answered on the first ring, his voice surprisingly clear and not gruff with sleep like I had expected. "Bella? Is something wrong."

"I miss you," I said simply.

He sighed loudly. "I miss you too, sweetheart. You have no idea."

"I hate this."

"I know. So do I. Come here tomorrow night. I might have things to do until late, but I want you here."

"Okay. Good."

"Just don't go to bed without me," he said, his voice suddenly low and seductive.

I smiled. "Oh? Why not?'

"Because I'm going to want to fuck you first."

He had always been like this- dominating and sure of himself. He toed the line of being controlling sometimes, but he was very aware of it and made a concentrated effort not to cross that line with me, outside of our sex life. I liked that he could be controlling there, and I knew that he did, too. And I enjoyed the opportunity to be more submissive, myself. I had a high powered career and it was a welcome escape sometimes.

We had always had an active sex life, but since the start of his campaign, it had dwindled considerably. I hoped this was the beginning of a resurgence.

After all, this life was our new normal.

… …

**Thank you for reading! I hope to update _Unattainable _very soon as well.**

**A lot of people have asked where I've been, and I know that I have every right to keep my private life, private. But I'll be honest- things haven't been great. I've struggled with my mental health seriously in the last few months. I broke up with my fiancé and while he is still one of my closest friends, it has not been an easy adjustment.**

**Thank you for your patience and understanding. I am feeling much better of late, and I hope to be around more often. I am thankful for all of you and hope you are all staying safe and healthy.**


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